On the second Sunday of Advent
And though tomorrow is already going to be the third, I write this on my flight back home as I am somewhere up in the sky between Singapore and Manila. I think about where I was a week ago, and a feeling of blessedness comes about me. I spent the first Sunday of Advent in Paris, and heard mass at Le Madeleine where the priest talked about opening our hearts to let in our Lord in preparation for Christmas. It left me thinking – as someone who prays numerous novenas on a daily basis, and goes to mass weekly, I would like to think that on a daily, if not at least a regular basis, the Lord is in my life – guiding me, and even when I do not realize it, something comes about that proves to me that He is in my midst. That is the power of prayer, I suppose – a constant (daily) dialogue with our Lord, Mama Mary, and all the other saints that lets them see through our hearts to our deepest intentions and most fervent of prayers. Sometimes, when we do not even know it yet.
That is the beauty of faith – believing in the “unknown,” if you will, but trusting in the certainty that a greater power does exist. So what does it mean then (on a spiritual note) when we are told to prepare ourselves for Christmas, and to let Jesus into our hearts, if we believe that we do so on a daily basis? After a day devoted to prayer and giving thanks,
I think I may have figured it out – at least for myself.
Last week, my mom and I had the opportunity to go to Lourdes for the day to visit, pray to, and really, to give thanks to our beloved Lady. It was the emptiest I have ever seen the sanctuary, and this was expected as that we had planned our trip on an off season. That being said, I felt it was also on this trip that I was able to connect the most – there was an air of sacredness and solitude indescribable that I felt listened, and answered even questions I did not verbalize. And when I think about the events that transpired on that very day (the likes of a delayed flight when we only had a couple of hours given that it was a day trip, an aborted landing entering Lourdes because of extreme fog, and a transport strike in France the following day), I am inclined to believe that truly, at the end of the day, as cliché as it might sound, we must just always trust in God’s perfect time and timing.
Despite all the mishaps, everything turned out perfectly, as if the timing was choreographed from above. I got signs almost immediately that my prayers and special intentions were listened to and answered, and I came up with somewhat of a realization on what the preaching of the priest the Sunday before alluded to. And while it may have resonated differently with others, to me, it meant just that – trusting in God’s perfect time, and that opening one’s heart on the birthday of Jesus simply means a chance to start anew, by allowing yourself to listen – to those around you, and to that voice within.
By carving out some quiet time for yourself to connect during the crazy season that leads up to
Christmas, you are essentially opening yourself up to strengthening your faith in however way you choose. Whether that be through Misa de Gallo in the wee hours of the morning, or trading social media time while stuck in traffic for some prayer time, devoting some time for prayer at a time when it is much easier actually to neglect because of the pandemonium is challenging, but is a showcase of how much you value your faith. You may not realize it on the instant, but God will always see and recognize your efforts. And for that, in His perfect time, you will always be rewarded – I firmly believe in that.